Test Preparation

Which MBA programs to apply to isn’t the only decision you have to make. After you’ve figured out where you want to go, you have to make plans for the GMAT. You need to determine when’s the best time to take the test and what you should bring with you when you do.

When to register for and take the GMAT

When’s the best time to take the GMAT? With the computerized test, this questions has become more interesting. When the exam was a paper-and-pencil format with a test booklet and an answer sheet full of bubbles, you had a very limited choice of possible test dates - about one every two months. Now you’ve got much more flexibility when choosing the date and time for taking the test. You can choose just about any time to sit down and click answer choices with your mouse.

Registering when you’re ready

The first step in the GMAT registration process is scheduling an appointment, but don’t put off making this appointment the way you’d put off calling the dentist (even though you probably would like to avoid both!) Depending on the time of year, appointment times can go quickly. Usually, you have to wait at least a month for an open time. To determine what’s available, you can go to the official GMAT web site www.mba.com and select “Take the GMAT.” From there, you can choose a testing location and find out what dates and times are available at that location. When you find a date and time you like, you can register online, over the phone, or by mail or fax.

The best time to take the GMAT is after you’ve had about four to six weeks of quality study time and during a period when you don’t have a lot of other things going on to distract you. Of course, if your MBA program application is due in four weeks, put off your books and schedule an appointment right away! If you have more flexibility, you should still plan to take the GMAT as soon as you think you’ve studied sufficiently. All of the following circumstances warrant taking the GMAT as soon as you can:

• You want to start your MBA
  If you’re confident that you’d like to begin business school within the next few semesters, you should consider taking the GMAT in the near future. After you know your score, you’ll be better able to narrow down the business schools you want to apply to. Then you can focus on the other parts of your application, and you won’t have to worry about having an application due in four weeks and no GMAT score.
• You’re considering attending business school
  Maybe you don’t know whether you want to pursue an MBA. Even so, now’s a good time to take the GMAT. Your GMAT score may help you decide that you’ve got the skills to succeed academically in graduate business school. You may think that you don’t have what it takes, but your performance on the GMAT may surprise you! When you do decide to apply to an MBA program, you’ll already have one key component of the application under wraps.
• You’re about to earn (or have just earned) your bachelor’s degree
  If you’re nearing graduation or have just graduated from college and you think you may want to get an MBA, it’s better to take the GMAT now than wait until later. You’re used to studying. You’re used to tests. And math and grammar concepts are probably as fresh on your mind as they’ll ever be.

  You don’t have to start an MBA program right away. Your GMAT scores are generally valid for up to five years, so you can take the test now and take advantage of your current skills as a student to get you into a great graduate program later.

Giving yourself about four to six weeks to study provides you with enough time to master the GMAT concepts but not so much time that you forget what you’ve learned by the time you sit for the test.

Scheduling for success

Whenever you register, there are a few considerations to keep in mind when scheduling a test date and time. Take advantage of the flexibility allowed by the computer format. The GMAT is no longer just an 8:00 AM, Saturday morning option. You can take the test every day of the week except Sunday, and you can start at a variety of times, ranging from around 8:30 am to about 1:00 pm. You make the test fit into your life instead of having to make your life fit the test!

If you’re not a morning person, don’t schedule an early test! If the afternoon is when you’re strongest and most able to handle a nonstop, two-and-a-half-hour barrage of questions - not to mention the analytical essays - schedule your test for the afternoon. By choosing the time that works for you, you’ll be able to comfortably approach the test instead of worrying whether you set your alarm. We’re guessing that you have enough to worry about in life as it is without the added stress of an inconvenient test time.

Study for the test at different times of the day to see when you’re at your best. Then schedule your test session for that time. Even if you have to take a few hours away from work or classes, it’s worth it to have the advantage of taking the test at a time that’s best for you.

While you’re thinking about the time that’s best for the test, you should think about days of the week as well. For some people Saturday may still be a good day for a test - just maybe not at 8 am! For others, the weekend is the wrong time for that type of concentrated academic activity. If you’re used to taking the weekends off, it may make more sense for you to schedule the test during the week.

Choosing the time and day to take the GMAT is primarily up to you. Be honest with yourself about your habits, preferences, and schedule, and pick a time and day when you’ll excel.